# What is your favorite Holiday food memories



## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

I was lucky to live down the block from my grandmother god rest her soul but growing up, my great grandparents lived with her. My great grandma Rosina Sanzaro (1900-1982) would always make the struffoli around the holidays. Even though I was only 6 when she passed, I remember her taking my brother and I into the kitchen and having us make the dough and rolling it out to make the struffoli with her. She sat there and taught us how to do everything but of course never let us get near the stove with the hot oil. I miss this and whenever I see someone put this out on their table, I remember the times that my twin brother and I would have our steps tools at the kitchen counter, covered in flour making this wonderful holiday treat with Grandma Rose. Anyone else have something that invokes fond memories of holidays past when it comes to food?


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

My mom has made chocolate chip cookies from scratch every Christmas ever since I can remember. Nothing says its the holidays to me like her cookies. I also fry a Lil Butterball for Christmas dinner so that's quickly becoming a reminder of good times.


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## pittjitsu (Mar 30, 2012)

scottw said:


> I was lucky to live down the block from my grandmother god rest her soul but growing up, my great grandparents lived with her. My great grandma Rosina Sanzaro (1900-1982) would always make the struffoli around the holidays. Even though I was only 6 when she passed, I remember her taking my brother and I into the kitchen and having us make the dough and rolling it out to make the struffoli with her. She sat there and taught us how to do everything but of course never let us get near the stove with the hot oil. I miss this and whenever I see someone put this out on their table, I remember the times that my twin brother and I would have our steps tools at the kitchen counter, covered in flour making this wonderful holiday treat with Grandma Rose. Anyone else have something that invokes fond memories of holidays past when it comes to food?


Funny, mine is struffoli as well. I'm always waiting for those bottom ones that are well soaked in glaze and sprinkles


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## szyzk (Nov 27, 2010)

Christmas Eve Polish dinner. Three kinds of homemade pierogies, homemade smoked and fresh kielbasa, sledzie, fresh rye bread, homemade placek, barszcz bialy, golabki... I'm lucky that I still have my grandmother here to host the dinner. I look forward to it every year!


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## Fuzzy (Jun 19, 2011)

My Grandmother and then, my Mother too, always made Dundee cakes. It was a staple and almost daily desert from Thanksgiving until almost February. Since my Mothers passing I have not found a fruit cake that I could have more than one serving of.

They would make the first one and say it had to sit for at least two days before it could be eaten. Oh how my mouth watered when I would see one or both of them start to prepare the fruits by soaking them in oil and other concoctions. It was just a matter of time before the treats would be put into the cakes.


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## Macrophylla (Dec 15, 2012)

My parents are both Brits so earliest Christmas memories were Plum Pudding (not what your thinking, more like a fruitcake with loads of currents, dates, and suet) with Byrd's custard, mom would bring it to the table dad would douse liberally in brandy and flambé it then youd grab a tablespoonful and douse it in custard and enjoy. It is not Christmas without it although my NC Mountains born-and-raised wife thinks we are all completely insane for eating it.


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## android (Feb 27, 2012)

my late grandma's turkey gravy... man was it good.


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## avitti (Jun 4, 2011)

My sister -in-law makes about 6000 cookies every Christmas--yes 6000 i said..What warms me to the core is when i go there-if i should go-with all my baked goods and it absolutely drives her crazy...that an the fact i won't give her my cannoli filling recipe.... I know this is not true Christmas behavior or the meaning of this thread -but it is a tradition and one that gives me joy each year-i'm actually laughing right now as i type this... a few stuffed pizzas is now a staple with the 7 fishes


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

pittjitsu said:


> Funny, mine is struffoli as well. I'm always waiting for those bottom ones that are well soaked in glaze and sprinkles


Those are the freekin best ones!


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

avitti said:


> My sister -in-law makes about 6000 cookies every Christmas--yes 6000 i said..What warms me to the core is when i go there-if i should go-with all my baked goods and it absolutely drives her crazy...that an the fact i won't give her my cannoli filling recipe.... I know this is not true Christmas behavior or the meaning of this thread -but it is a tradition and one that gives me joy each year-i'm actually laughing right now as i type this... a few stuffed pizzas is now a staple with the 7 fishes


See since grandma passed we no longer do the 7 fishes although my cousin Jimmy Provenzano loves a little pasta con sardi and some limoncello afterwards. I used to do 200 dozen Christmas cookies with my mom every year but damn 6000 cookies?


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## FWTX (Feb 9, 2011)

My Mom's ham - she would get up and start a charcoal fire about 6:00 am and baby that thing until about 2:00 pm - it would be almost black when she was through - that dark rind was heaven!
Then she'd make a mustard creme sauce with horseradish that was the absolutely perfect accompaniment - I have never had any friend, family, guest that did not bring it up as soon as I ran into them - it was that good.


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## CeeGar (Feb 19, 2007)

My favorite memory is as a kid, we'd all open presents on Christmas morning, then my mom would cook a huge southern breakfast. Homemade biscuits & gravy, bacon, sausage, eggs... sliced oranges and apple butter on the side. Still my absolute favorite meal to this day.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

I am 1/2 Ukrainian which means my grandmother could cook native Russian, Polish, Austrian, ect.....
My favorite was this fried dough with sugar cookie/pastry called Rhubith Plastcas (SP)...Boy, I can still remember the smell of the house and the feel the burning of the roof of my mouth when trying them to soon....


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## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

Chow Mein. Until she passed away a bit over a year ago, my Japanese grandma would make chow Mein every year, and she made the best in the world.


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## Desertlifter (Feb 22, 2011)

Grandma's blackberry pie. We lived up in the coastal mountains of southwest Washington and would spend our summer and fall picking wild berries, hunting, and fishing to get food in for winter. Christmas dinner was usually salmon, oyster casserole, and crab. Grandma lived across the road and would bake a blackberry pie for every occasion.

This is my first Christmas without her - she passed on this spring at 96 years young. I'm sitting at the table filling out Christmas cards, and almost addressed one to her. Darn blurry monitor.


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## cigargirlie (Jul 18, 2012)

Well for myself, it is making homemade raviolis and the sauce. My Noni and I would get together every year and spend the weekend making our secret ravioli recipe and sauce to go on it. The mushrooms used in the sauce were from ones that my Dad and I would hunt for in the forests of California. I still recall how we would laugh and talk utter nonsense as we had cafe and make the ravioli dough. The smell of her kitchen during the holidays I can still recall. Special moments I will always cherish. I carry on that tradition with my Mom. I have my Noni's 1950 stove that I still cook all the holiday meals on, and I am still bewildered how that tiny woman could cook for 15 people with only one oven and four burners! She was truly a master of logistics! lol


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